WADA supports UCI move to strip Armstrong's titles

MONTREAL (AP) - WADA President John Fahey "understands'' the International Cycling Union's decision to formally strip Lance Armstrong of his seven Tour de France titles, and says it could act as a catalyst to eradicate doping from cycling if a more coherent approach is taken.

In a statement Monday, Fahey says the United States Anti-Doping findings were "based on the overwhelming evidence of systematic doping in the US Postal Team.''

Fahey says failure to act on widespread doping can't be blamed on WADA's code only coming into force in 2004, adding that "testing and analysis alone is not sufficient'' as shown by USADA's case being "almost entirely based on non-analytical data.''

WADA is encouraged, however, that "the biggest doping scandal in the history of sport is close to reaching a correct conclusion.''